Sheet-feed controller for folding machines



Oct. 25 1927. 1,646,652

J. LULEY ET AL.

SHEET FEED CONTROLLER FORFOLDING MACHINE:

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 2b, 1924 IINVENTORS:

Oct: '25, 1927.

INVENTQRS: v 11% Brim/1e 2, shee's-sizeet 2 J. LU-LEY ET AL.

saszr FEED-CONTROLLER Jon FOLDING m'cumss Filed Sept 20. 1924 m XTTOR EY."

Referring more particularly to the drawings, we have illustrated our invention as applied to a standard Cleveland type of folding machine, including a main frame 1,.folding rolls 2, sheet guide 8, main feeding roll 1 of the folding or other mechanism and a plurality of coacting pressure rollers 5 freely rotatably mounted on a stationary shaft 6 and adjustable with relation to the main feeding roll 4 by means of adjusting screws 7 located at opposite ends of the shaft 6. The folding rolls 2 are driven by suitable means, as well known in this type of folding machine.

The feed bed 8 is located at one end of the frame 1, substantially in aligmnent with the main feeding roll 4, and in this instance the feed bed includes a plurality of forwarding rolls 9 adapted to be rotated in any suitable manner, as shown for instance in the patent to Trautman, No. 1,413,245, and a side guide 10. These forwarding rolls 9 are so located that the path of travel of the forwarding rolls 9 is at an angle to the longitudinal c axis of the feed bed 8 and directed toward the side guide 10.

The folding machine as thus far described represents but one type of machine to which our invention is applicable. With such a machine the sheets to be fed may be depos-. ited on the feed bed 8, whence they are carried toward the main feeding roll 1 and also toward the side guide 10. However, in feeding sheets of what may be termed irregular shape, such-for instance as the sheet of oblong shape seen in Figure 6, with the longest dimensional edge foremost,'as seen at A, the tendency of the angularly disposed forwarding rolls 9 is to cause the sheet'to turn to a position substantially as indicated at B and thence either in a wandering path in various successive positions, or else to the position indicated at C with the longest dimensional edge adjacent to the side guide 10, whence it will be carried to the folding mechanism in an improper folding position.

The present invention comprehends counteracting this tendency of the angularly disposed forwarding rolls to alter the relative position of the sheet in its travel or turn it upon its axis, and for this purpose we have provided auxiliary controlling means adapted to cooperate with the forwarding rolls 9 and side guide 10 to cause the sheets to be fed in their intended position.

In this instance such means include preferably an endless traveling belt 11 suitably mounted and adapted to travel in a straight path above the forwarding rolls 9, a short distance from and substantially parallel with the side guide 10. The sheet 12 is adapted to be fed underneath the belt 11 and the beltis'adapted to exert a relatively slight degree of pressure upon the sheet 12 follow, this additional force acting to retard one portion of the sheet and thus counteract the tendency of the forwarding rolls to rotate or turn the sheet about its own axis.

The belt 11 may be mounted in any suitable manner and in the present modification a sheet controller bracket attachment 13 is adapted to be adjustably secured to the side frame 14: of the feed bed 8 at which the guide 10 is located. The bracket 13 includes suitable clamping means, here shown as a clamping block 15 having a groove 16 adapted to receive a downwardly projecting portion 17 ofthe side frame 14, and suitable I securing means, as for instance a thumb screw 18 adapted to pass through a threaded aperture 19 in the side portion 20 of clamping block 15 into engagement with the inner side of frame portion 17, whereby the clamping block 15 may be securely attached to the side frame ll at any desired location in the length of the frame.

The clamping block 15 is adapted to adjustably and rigidly support asuitable bracket arm 21 carrying a roller 22 above the forwarding rolls 9. In the present instance the outer side portion 28 of clamping block 15 is provided with a longitudinal recess or guide 24 adapted to receive the lower portion 25 of bracket arm 21 and a screw threaded aperture 26. The bracket portion 25 is provided with a longitudinal opening 27 adapted to register with the screw threaded aperture 26 and a thumb screw 28 having a clamping washer 29 is adapted to be passed through the opening 27 into the aperture 26 to secure the bracket portion 25 to the clamping block 15.- The opening 27 is preferably of such length that a suitable range of height adjustment is afl orded for the bracket arm 21 as will be obvious.

The bracket arm 13 is preferably bent at 21 to provide a horizontal portion 30 adapted to extend any desired distance over the feed bed 8 and a relatively short depending portion 31 carrying a shaft 32 upon which the pulley 22 is mounted. The pulley 22 in this instance is adapted to be aligned with one of thepressure rollers 5 and the endless belt 11, which may be of canvas or other material, is passed over this roller 5 and the pulley 22. The pressure rollers 5' are normally rotated lSQ by frictional contact with the main feeding roll 4 which, as will be seen; will also cause the belt ll to travel over theroll er teed I 8 in a straight path and exert a :degree ot force or motion, independent of andin: a

direction difierent s am the force exertediby the forward ng rolls 9 in imparting mot on to the sheet'lQ. Theheightl eras belt 11" relativeto the forwarding rolls 9 isadju'sta' ble at'both. endsby mea lS Otthe 'adjusting I screws? and thumb 'ScrewQSQand the bracket arm portions 21,30 andtvl be bent to desired a position, so that the proper degree otifrictioiial contact with the sheet 12. may be. obtained accordingto the thickness at the sheet.

sheet "feed controller it may be readily re- 7 n oived from the; machine by loosening the clamp 15 or thumb screw 28.

I l l i e? use Otto-Ur sheet, A feed controller sheets of materialot oblong. shape, or other irregular shapes, are accurately and, properly gfed to.the t'ol cling rolls or Inechanisin in a straight path over a roller or other type ol" feed bed laid out in an angularpath without liability to dislocationfor change of position during the course of their traveljover the feed bed. 1 I

" Others troublesome conditions heretofore encountered have been that occasionally a sheet-will begde'pj 'i tedfon the, feed bed and will remain substantially stationary, regardless of the rotatingforwarding; rolls, due'to the presence of so called static electricity;

and in other, casesfsheets or printedsignatures Twill be i'ound" tov contain wrinkles,

buckles or turned ends or. corners so that a plane engaging. surface, is not presented to the forwarding rolls withfthe resultfthat. the

sheet, will either fail ton ove or will'be caused to tumor "depart from the proper path iof feed. An important advantage of our involition that a sheet-otanyshape which may fail to be picked, up or moved 'by'the.

forwarding rolls due to any of these causes w ll be quickly picked 'up as soon as it 1s deposited under the traveling belt and positively and continuously led to the folding mechanism. ii I i 1 v The sheet feed controlling mechanism here in described is capable of. variousmodifications to enablethe same to be applied to mav chines of various standardtypes; hence it is 12. The combination with sheet feeding mechanism including a side guide and feeding 'means prescribing an angular path l vlhen it '1 is not desired to the towardsaid side guide goii' means to travel" W t he h ath d a t er xi i f i ed-ins movement in a straight parallel with said side guide,

3. combination with sheetwfeeding mechanism including: forwarding rolls over which the sheet is adapted tovtravel, of means above and traveling continuously with the sheet to impart" an additional. feeding and retarding movement ina "difierent direction.

I l. v V l. The combinatlpn with sheet teedmg,

from that iin partedfby said: forwarding rolls.

mechanismincluding a side guide and "toe,

warding rollsover Wliichvthe sheet-is adapted to travel said forwarding rolls prescribir'igv an angular path toward, said. side guide, otf

means to be superposed above the forwarding rolls and I arranged to engage and move with the sheet an d impart a tiuctiondrag and additional-feeding movementtoj a portion. of

i the sheet in a straight path parallel with said side guide. a

The o nbina'tion' with sheetffeeding mechanism including a sideguide and for? ward ng rolls over which the sheet is adapted to travel, forwarding "rolls prescribing an angular path toward said side guide, 0t a. traveling belt above the forwarding rolls adapted tof'rest transversely upon a portion of the; sheet and impart additional feeding and retarding movement to the sheet inga straight'pathparallelf with said side guide.

6. Tliej'combination with sheet feeding mechanism including, a side guide and forwarding. rolls prescribing an, angular path toward said side guide,- oi'a friction drag device arranged to engage the uppersuriaceof the sheet andfmovewviththe sheet in apath parallel. with saidfside, guide to counteract thetendencyotsaid,forwarding rolls to turn the sheetjabout itsaXis during lts travel;

7-. The combination with a" P2 1361 folding machine including a feed bed having-a s de guide and forwarding rolls prescribing an angular path toward said side guide, a traveling belt adaptedto be super osedabove the forwarding rolls, said, belt arranged-to impart auxiliary feeding motion in astraight path parallel with said side guide at lesser speed than that imparted by saidioijward ing rolls.

8. The combination with a paper folding,

machine including a side guide "and forward ing rolls prescribing an angular path toward f sald side guide, of means to rest upon and move with a sheet fed over said angularforwarding rolls to maintain the sheet in its initial relative position during, its travel over said angularly disposed forvvardingrolls.

9. The comloination with a paper folding machine including a side guide and forwarding rolls prescribing an, angular path toward said side guide,of auxiliary means arforwarding rolls with'the'narrow edge of ranged to move with a sheet/fed over said the sheet against said side guide and impart frictional resistance to the angular motion imparted by said angular forwarding rolls transversely of the sheet, whereby the sheet is maintained in proper feeding position durposed forwarding rolls.

11. The combination with a paper folding machine'having a side guideand angularly disposed feeding rolls, of a sheet feed controller including a bracket adapted to be positioned over said feeding rolls, a pulley mounted on said bracket and a belt adapted to travel over said pulley in a path parallel with said side guide.

12. The combination with a paper folding .nachine having a main feeding roll for the folding mechanism, a roller adapted to be disposed above said main forwarding roll and rotated thereby, a side guide and feeding rolls prescribing an angular path, of a sheet j feed controller including a bracket adapted to be positioned over said forwarding rolls, a pulley mounted on-said bracket, and'a belt adapted to travel over said roller and pulley above said forwarding rolls in a straight path parallel with side guide.

13 The combination with a paper folding machine having a main feeding roll for the folding mechanism, a roller adapted to be disposed above said main forwarding roll, a side guide and feeding rolls prescribing an angular path, of a sheet feed controller adapted to be attached to said paperfolding machine, said sheet feed controller including clamping means, a bracket adapted to be positioned over said forwarding rolls, a pulley mounted on said bracket and a belt adapted to travel over said roller and pulley above said forwarding rolls in a straight path parallel with said side guide and in engagement with'a sheet fed over said forwarding rolls.

14. The combination with a paper folding machine including folding mechanism and a main feeding roll for directing sheets thereto, a roller adapted to be disposed above said main feeding roll and rotated thereby, a side guide and forwarding rolls prescribing an angular path toward said side guide, of a sheet feed controller adapted to be secured to said paper folding machine, said sheetfeed controller including a removable clamp, an arm adjustably mount d on said clamp and extending over said forwarding rolls, a pulley mounted on said arm, and an end less belt adapted to travel over Said roller and pulley in a path parallel with said side guide and in engagement with a sheet fed over said forwarding rolls.

15. The method of feeding a relatively long and narrow strip of paper to a folding mechanism which consists in providing a feed table having forwarding rollers prescribing an angular path relative to said feed table, a side guide arranged at one side of the table to register and guide one edge of the strip, and a means moving longitudinally of the table and with the sheet for effecting a friction drag upon a portion of the upper surface of the strip distant from said registered edge throughout the travel of the strip longitudinally of the table.

16. In a sheet feeding device for Cleveland folding machines, 'a feed bed having forwarding rollers prescribing an angular path of travel, aside guide at one side of said feed bed to guide one edge of a relatively long and narrow sheet, and a movable device to effect continuous friction drag upon a portion of the upper surface of said sheet distant from said side guide throughout the travel of the strip longitudinally of the feed bed.

17. A device as set forth in claim 16, in which the movable friction drag element comprisesa traveling belt, and means to support said traveling belt in relation to the feed bed, said means adjustable vertically of V the feed bed.

In testimony whereof, we have signed this specification.

JOHN LULEY. JOHN P. BRUNNER. 

